“The slow boring of hard board” Max Weber

This is a partial quote which in its original form was aimed at politics. I do not often use secular quotes to make spiritual points. That was a pun for those who might not have caught it. Drill bits have points.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Ezekiel 21:9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:

Do not misunderstand, the Word is not the sword here, it is sharper than a sword. I include the second quote for the issue of refurbishing. There is in this spiritual truths that apply to this slow boring of hard boards.

We all understand that refurbishing is a restoration process, to make a thing as good as new. But how does this apply to the boring process?

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

In the prepositional use of countenance it means “in the presence of”. The implication being in the presence of our Lord, the Word.

Pulling this all together, into one contingent thought, slow progress is made in making changes in us and we must sharpen our countenance in the presence of the Word. Too much pressure and too much speed will cause burn marks in the hard board and dull the edge of the drill.

To those looking on at the process, it seems that little progress is being made. Our impatience must never replace the hand of God in operating the drill.